THE BOOK OF CHELEMAN Chapter 5

    The prophecy of Sh’mu’el, the Lamanite, to the Nefites.

  1. And now it came to pass in the eighty and sixth year,118 the Nefites did still remain in wickedness, yes, in great wickedness, while the Lamanites did observe strictly to keep the mitzvot of Elohim according to the Torah of Moshe. And it came to pass that in this year there was one Sh’mu’el, a Lamanite, who came into the land of Zerach’mla and began to preach unto the people. And it came to pass that he did preach repentance many days unto the people, and they did cast him out. And he was about to return to his own land, but behold, the voice of yhwh came unto him that he should return again and prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his heart.
  2. And it came to pass that they would not allow that he should enter into the city, therefore he went and got upon the wall thereof, and stretched forth his hand, and cried with a loud voice, and prophesied unto the people whatsoever things yhwh put into his heart. And he said unto them, Behold, I, Sh’mu’el, a Lamanite, do speak the words of yhwh which he does put into my heart. And behold, he has put it into my heart to say unto this people that the sword of justice hangs over this people. And four hundred years passes not away except the sword of justice falls upon this people, yes, heavy destruction awaits this people, and it surely comes unto this people. And nothing can save this people, except it be repentance and faith on Adonai Yeshua HaMashiach, who surely shall come into the world, and shall suffer many things, and shall be slain for his people. And behold, an angel of yhwh has declared it unto me, and he did bring glad tidings to my soul. And behold, I was sent unto you to declare it unto you also, that you might have glad tidings; but behold, you would not receive me.
  3. Therefore, thus says yhwh: Because of the hardness of the hearts of the people of the Nefites, except they repent, I will take away my word from them, and I will withdraw my spirit from them, and I will sustain them no longer, and I will turn the hearts of their brothers against them, and four hundred years shall not pass away before I will cause that they shall be smitten. Yes, I will visit them with the sword, and with famine, and with pestilence;119 yes, I will visit them in my fierce anger. And there shall be those of the fourth generation120 who shall live, of your enemies, to behold your utter destruction. And this shall surely come except you repent, says yhwh, and those of the fourth generation shall visit your destruction. But if you will repent and return unto yhwh your Elohim, I will turn away my anger, says yhwh. Yes, thus says yhwh: Blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but woe unto him that repents not. Yes, woe unto this great city of Zerach’mla, for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved.121 Yes, woe unto this great city, for I perceive, says yhwh, that there are many, yes, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, says yhwh. But blessed are they who will repent, for them will I spare. But behold, if it were not for the righteous who are in this great city, behold, I would cause that fire should come down out of heaven122 and destroy it. But behold, it is for the righteous’ sake that it is spared. But behold, the time comes, says yhwh, that when you shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall you be ripe for destruction.
  4. Yes, woe be unto this great city because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her; yes, and woe be unto the city of Gideon for the wickedness and abominations which are in her; yes, and woe be unto all the cities which are in the land round about, which are possessed by the Nefites, because of the wickedness and the abominations which are in them. And behold, a curse123 shall come upon the land, says yhwh Tzva’ot, because of the people’s sake who are upon the land, yes, because of their wickedness and their abominations.
  5. And it shall come to pass, says yhwh Tzva’ot, yes, our great and true Elohim, that whoever shall hide up treasures in the earth shall find them again no more, because of the great curse of the land, except he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto yhwh; for I will, says yhwh, that they shall hide up their treasures unto me. And cursed be they who hide not up their treasures unto me, for none hides up their treasures unto me except it be the righteous. And he that hides not up his treasure unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure; and none shall redeem it because of the curse of the land. And the day shall come that they shall hide up their treasures because they have set their hearts upon riches. And because they have set their hearts upon their riches and will hide up their treasures when they shall flee before their enemies, because they will not hide them up unto me, cursed be they and also their treasures; and in that day shall they be smitten, says yhwh.
  6. Behold, you people of this great city, and hearken unto my words, yes, hearken unto the words which yhwh says. For behold, he says that you are cursed because of your riches, and also are your riches cursed, because you have set your hearts upon them and have not hearkened unto the words of him who gave them unto you. You do not remember yhwh your Elohim in the things which he has blessed you, but you do always remember your riches — not to thank yhwh your Elohim for them. Yes, your hearts are not drawn out unto yhwh, but they do swell with great pride unto boasting, and unto great swelling, envyings, strifes, malice, persecutions, and murders, and all manner of iniquities. For this cause has Adonai yhwh caused that a curse should come upon the land, and also upon your riches, and this because of your iniquities. Yes, woe unto this people because of this time which has arrived that you do cast out the prophets,124 and do mock them, and cast stones at them, and do slay them, and do do all manner of iniquity unto them, even as they did of old time.
  7. And now when you talk, you say, If our days had been in the days of our fathers of old, we would not have slain the prophets,125 we would not have stoned them and cast them out. Behold, you are worse than they; for, as yhwh lives, if a prophet come among you and declares unto you the word of yhwh, which testifies of your sins and iniquities, you are angry with him, and cast him out, and seek all manner of ways to destroy him. Yes, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner and of HaSatan, because he testifies that your deeds are evil. But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say, Do this and there is no iniquity, do that and you shall not suffer — yes, he will say, Walk after the pride of your own hearts, yes, walk after the pride of your eyes and do whatsoever your heart desires — and if a man shall come among you and say this, you will receive him and you will say that he is a prophet. Yes, you will lift him up and you will give unto him of your substance, you will give unto him of your gold and of your silver, and you will clothe him with costly apparel.126 And because he speaks soothing words unto you and he says that all is well, then you will not find fault with him.
  8. O you wicked and you perverse generation, you hardened and you stiffnecked127 people, how long will you suppose that yhwh will sustain you? Yes, how long will you allow yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yes, how long will you choose darkness rather than light? Yes, behold, the anger of yhwh is already kindled against you. Behold, he has cursed the land because of your iniquity; and behold, the time comes that he curses your riches, that they become slippery, that you cannot hold them. And in the days of your poverty you cannot retain them, and in the days of your poverty you shall cry unto yhwh; and in vain shall you cry, for your desolation is already come upon you and your destruction is made sure. And then shall you weep and howl in that day, says yhwh Tzva’ot. And then shall you lament and say, Oh that I had repented and had not killed the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out. Yes, in that day shall you say, Oh that we had remembered yhwh our Elohim in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery, that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us. Behold, we lay a tool here and on the next day it is gone. And behold, our swords are taken from us in the day we have sought them for battle. Yes, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away from us because of the curse of the land. Oh that we had repented in the day that the word of yhwh came unto us, for behold, the land is cursed, and all things have become slippery and we cannot hold them. Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yes, we are encircled about by the angels of him who has sought to destroy our souls. Behold, our iniquities are great. O yhwh, can you not turn away your anger from us? And this shall be your language in these days.
  9. But behold, your days of probation are past. You have procrastinated128 the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late and your destruction is made sure; yes, for you have sought all the days of your lives for that which you could not obtain, and you have sought for happiness in doing iniquity,129 which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head. O you people of the land, that you would hear my words. And I pray that the anger of yhwh be turned away from you and that you would repent and be saved.
  10. And now it came to pass that Sh’mu’el, the Lamanite, did prophesy a great many more things which cannot be written. And behold, he said unto them, Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five more years come, and behold, then comes130 the Son of Elohim to redeem all those who shall believe on his name. And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming: for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he comes there shall be no darkness,131 insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day. Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign. For you shall know of the rising of the sun, and also of its setting, therefore you shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night. Nevertheless, the night shall not be darkened, and it shall be the night before he is born. And behold, there shall be a new star arise,132 such an one as you never have beheld, and this also shall be a sign unto you. And behold, this is not all; there shall be many signs and wonders in heaven. And it shall come to pass that you shall all be amazed and wonder, insomuch that you shall fall to the earth.133 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall believe on the Son of Elohim, the same shall have everlasting life.
  11. And behold, thus has yhwh commanded me by his angel134 that I should come and tell this thing unto you, yes, he has commanded that I should prophesy these things unto you. Yes, he has said unto me, Cry unto this people, Repent and prepare the way of yhwh. And now because I am a Lamanite, and have spoken unto you the words which yhwh has commanded me, and because it was hard against you, you are angry with me, and do seek to destroy me and have cast me out from among you. And you shall hear my words, for, for this intent have I come up upon the walls of this city, that you might hear and know of the judgments of Elohim which do await you because of your iniquities, and also that you might know the conditions of repentance, and also that you might know of the coming of Yeshua HaMashiach, the Son of Elohim the Father of Heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning, and that you might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that you might believe on his name. And if you believe on his name, you will repent of all your sins, that thereby you may have a remission of them through his merits.135
  12. And behold again, another sign I give unto you, yes, a sign of his death; for behold, he surely must die, that salvation may come. Yes, it is necessary and becomes expedient that he die to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of yhwh. Yes, behold, this death brings to pass the resurrection and redeems136 all mankind from the first death (that spiritual death); for all mankind, by the Fall of Adam,137 being cut off from the presence of yhwh, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.138 But behold, the resurrection of Mashiach redeems mankind, yes, even all mankind, and brings them back into the presence of yhwh. Yes, and it brings to pass the conditions of repentance — that whosoever repents, the same is not cut down and cast into the fire,139 but whosoever repents not is cut down and cast into the fire, and there comes upon them again a spiritual death, yes, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness. Therefore, repent, repent, lest by knowing these things and not doing them you shall allow yourselves to come under condemnation, and you are brought down unto this second death.
  13. But behold, as I said unto you concerning another sign, a sign of his death, behold, in that day that he shall suffer death, the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his light unto you, and also the moon and the stars.140 And there shall be no light upon the face of this land, even from the time that he shall suffer death, for the space of three days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead. Yes, at the time that he shall yield up the ghost, there shall be thunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours, and the earth shall shake and tremble, and the rocks141 which are upon the face of this earth,142 which are both above the earth and beneath, which you know at this time are solid (or the more part of it is one solid mass) shall be broken up, yes, they shall be split in two, and shall ever after be found in seams, and in cracks, and in broken fragments, upon the face of the whole earth, yes, both above the earth and beneath. And behold, there shall be great tempests,143 and there shall be many mountains laid low like unto a valley, and there shall be many places which are now called valleys which shall become mountains, whose height thereof is great. And many highways shall be broken up, and many cities shall become desolate, and many graves shall be opened and shall yield up many of their dead, and many k’doshim shall appear unto many. And behold, thus has the angel spoken unto me, for he said unto me that there should be thunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours; and he said unto me that while the thunder and the lightning lasted, and the tempest, that these things should be, and that darkness should cover the face of the whole earth for the space of three days. And the angel said unto me that many shall see greater things than these, to the intent that they might believe; that these signs and these wonders should come to pass upon all the face of this land, to the intent that there should be no cause for unbelief among the children of men — and this to the intent that whosoever will believe might be saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a righteous judgment might come upon them. And also, if they are condemned, they bring upon themselves their own condemnation.
  14. And now remember, remember, my brothers, that whosoever perishes, perishes unto himself, and whosoever does iniquity, does it unto himself. For behold, you are free; you are permitted to act for yourselves. For behold, Elohim has given unto you a knowledge, and he has made you free. He has given unto you that you might know good from evil, and he has given unto you that you might choose life or death. And you can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or you can do evil and have that which is evil restored unto you. And now my beloved brothers, behold, I declare unto you that except you shall repent, your houses shall be left unto you desolate.144 Yes, except you repent, your women shall have great cause to mourn in the day that they shall nurse; for you shall attempt to flee and there shall be no place for refuge. Yes, and woe unto them which are with child, for they shall be heavy and cannot flee; therefore, they shall be trampled down and shall be left to perish. Yes, woe unto this people who are called the people of Nefi, except they shall repent when they shall see all those signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of yhwh. Yes, the people of Nefi has he loved, and also has he chastened them, yes, in the days of their iniquities has he chastened them because he loves them.
  15. But behold, my brothers, the Lamanites has he hated because their deeds have been evil continually, and this because of the iniquity of the tradition of their fathers. But behold, salvation has come unto them through the preaching of the Nefites, and for this intent has yhwh prolonged their days. And I would that you should behold that the more part of them are in the path of their duty, and they do walk circumspectly before Elohim, and they do observe to keep his mitzvot, and his statutes,145 and his judgments, according to the Torah of Moshe. Yes, I say unto you that the more part of them are doing this, and they are striving, with unwearied diligence, that they may bring the remainder of their brothers to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, there are many who do add to their numbers daily. And behold, you do know of yourselves, for you have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures — yes, the prophecies of the holy prophets which are written, which lead them to faith on yhwh and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bring a change of heart146 unto them — therefore, as many as have come to this, you know of yourselves, are firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing with which they have been made free. And you know also that they have buried their weapons147 of war, and they fear to take them up lest by any means they shall sin. Yes, you can see that they fear to sin, for behold, they will allow themselves that they be trampled down and slain by their enemies, and will not lift their swords against them, and this because of their faith in Mashiach.
  16. And now because of their steadfastness when they do believe in that thing which they do believe, for because of their firmness when they are once enlightened, behold, yhwh shall bless them and prolong their days, despite their iniquity. Yes, even if they should dwindle in unbelief,148 yhwh shall prolong their days until the time shall come which has been spoken of by our fathers, and also by the prophet Zenos,149 and many other prophets, concerning the restoration of our brothers the Lamanites again to the knowledge of the truth. Yes, I say unto you that in the latter times, the promises of yhwh have been extended to our brothers, the Lamanites; and despite the many afflictions which they shall have, and even though they shall be driven to and fro upon the face of the earth, and be hunted, and shall be slain and scattered abroad, having no place for refuge, yhwh shall be merciful unto them, and this is according to the prophecy that they shall again be brought to the true knowledge, which is the knowledge of their Redeemer, and their great and their true Shepherd,150 and be numbered among his sheep. Therefore, I say unto you, it shall be better for them than for you, except you repent. For behold, had the mighty works been shown unto them which have been shown unto you, yes, unto them who have dwindled in unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, you can see of yourselves that they never would again have dwindled in unbelief. Therefore, says yhwh, I will not utterly destroy them, but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall return again unto me, says yhwh. And now behold, says yhwh, concerning the people of the Nefites, if they will not repent and observe to do my will, I will utterly destroy them, says yhwh, because of their unbelief, despite the many mighty works which I have done among them. And as surely as yhwh lives shall these things be, says yhwh.
  17. And now it came to pass that there were many who heard the words of Sh’mu’el, the Lamanite, which he spoke upon the walls of the city. And as many as believed on his words went forth and sought for Nefi; and when they had come forth and found him, they confessed unto him their sins and denied not, desiring that they might be washed by immersion unto yhwh. But as many as there were who did not believe in the words of Sh’mu’el were angry with him, and they cast stones at him upon the wall, and also many shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall. But the spirit of yhwh was with him, insomuch that they could not hit him with their stones, neither with their arrows.
  18. Now when they saw this, that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words, insomuch that they went away unto Nefi to be immersed. For behold, Nefi was immersing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working miracles among the people, that they might know that the Mashiach must shortly come, telling them of things which must shortly come, that they might know and remember at the time of their coming that they had been made known unto them beforehand, to the intent that they might believe. Therefore, as many as believed on the words of Sh’mu’el went forth unto him to be washed by immersion,151 for they came repenting and confessing their sins.
  19. But the more part of them did not believe in the words of Sh’mu’el; therefore, when they saw that they could not hit him with their stones and their arrows, they cried out unto their captains, saying, Take this fellow and bind him, for behold, he has a demon!152 And because of the power of the demon which is in him, we cannot hit him with our stones and our arrows; therefore take him, and bind him, and away with him! And as they went forth to lay their hands on him, behold, he did cast himself down from the wall and did flee out of their lands, yes, even unto his own country, and began to preach and to prophesy among his own people. And behold, he was never heard of again among the Nefites; and thus were the affairs of the people. And thus ended the eighty and sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nefi. And thus ended also the eighty and seventh year of the reign of the judges, and the more part of the people remaining in their pride and wickedness, and the lesser part walking more circumspectly before Elohim. And thus were the conditions also in the eighty and eighth year of the reign of the judges. And there was but little alteration in the affairs of the people, except it were the people began to be more hardened in iniquity, and do more and more of that which was contrary to the mitzvot of Elohim in the eighty and ninth year of the reign of the judges.
  20. But behold, it came to pass in the ninetieth year153 of the reign of the judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled, and angels154 did appear unto men — wise men — and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; and thus in this year, the scriptures began to be fulfilled. Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts — all except it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nefites and also of the Lamanites — and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying, Some things they may have guessed right among so many, but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass of which have been spoken. And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying that it is not reasonable that such a being as a Mashiach shall come. If so, and he be the Son of Elohim the Father of Heaven and of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Yerushalayim? Yes, why will he not show himself in this land as well as in the land of Yerushalayim? But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore, they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true. And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the Evil One, work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them (for we depend upon them to teach us the word), and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them all the days of our lives.
  21. And many more things did the people imagine155 up in their hearts which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for HaSatan did stir them up156 to do iniquity continually. Yes, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come. And despite the signs and the wonders which were worked among the people of yhwh, and the many miracles which they did, HaSatan did get great hold upon the hearts157 of the people upon all the face of the land. And thus ended the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nefi. And thus ended The Book of Cheleman, according to the record of Cheleman and his sons.